unjust when applied to women. Therefore, as a new
constitution--the first based upon reason--was about to be established in
France, she reminds him that its framers would be tyrants like their
predecessors if they did not allow women to participate in it. In order
to command his interest, she explains briefly and concisely the truth
which she proposes to prove by her arguments, and thus she gives
immediately the keynote to her book.

"Contending for the rights of woman, my main argument," she tells
him, "is built on this simple principle, that if she be not
prepared by education to become the companion of man, she will stop
the progress of knowledge; for truth must be common to all, or it
will be inefficacious with respect to its influence on general
practice. And how can woman be expected to co-operate unless she
know why she ought to be virtuous; unless freedom strengthen her
reason till she comprehend her duty, and see in what manner it is
connected with her real good? If children are to be educated to
understand the true principle of patriotism, their mother must be a
patriot; and the love of mankind, from which an orderly train of
virtues spring, can only be produced by considering the moral and
civil interests of mankind; but the education and situation of
woman, at present, shuts her out from such investigations.

"In this work I have produced many arguments, which to me were
conclusive, to prove that the prevailing notion respecting a sexual
character was subversive of morality; and I have contended, that to
render the human body and mind more perfect, chastity must more
universally prevail, and that chastity will never be respected in
the male world till the person of a woman is not, as it were,
idolized, when little virtue or sense embellish it with the grand
traces of mental beauty or the interesting simplicity of
affection."

In her Introduction Mary further states the object and scope of her work.
She advances the importance of bringing to a more healthy condition
women, who, like flowers nourished in over-luxuriant soil, have become
beautiful at the expense of strength. She attributes their weakness to
the systems of education which have aimed at making them alluring
mistresses rather than rational wives, and taught them to crave love,
instead of exacting respect. But, to prevent misunderst